Snapshot: Lionel Messi Wins Football!

He’s done it. Ladies and gentlemen, call off the search – we have a winner…

It’s official, ‘the record’ is now Lionel Messi’s thanks to a brace against Real Betis tonight. Messi’s first goal of the evening equalled Gerd Muller’s ‘goals in a calendar year for club and country’ record (goal no. 85) and his second of the night (no. 86) bested it…

Barring the fact that a catatonic Pele is probably knelt in the corner of a darkened room somewhere feverishly whispering ‘Neymar’ over and over while stabbing darts through a picture of Leo with tears streaming down his face, surely – SURELY – there can be no debate as to Messi being the greatest player of all time?

I’m gonna be that guy:
I want to see him perform for the Argentinian national team on a regular basis, away from the safe haven of a midfield where he is surrounded by Xavi, Iniesta etc.
Until that happens, I don’t think “the worlds greatest” can be applied. “one of the greatest”, sure, but not “the”.

He’s not even the greatest Argentinian player of all-time. As great as Messi unarguably is, Maradona dragged his country to the 1986 World Cup pretty much single-handedly. Argentina then were an average team elevated to best in the world level by one player (albeit a player who is a contender for biggest arsehole in football). As great as Pele was, Brazil could have won without him. In my opinion, Argentina wouldn’t have done the same without Maradona.

I have never seen a player get so much attention from the defenders as much as Messi does last week against benfica there was 9 players on him, and that was one of many of instances.
Every other week we see teams parking the bus against barca and yet this guy still gets that much goals. If hes not the greatest ever, hes defiantly the greatest goal scorer of all time.

I love Messi but here are my reasons that Maradona is the greatest of all time:

• As far as anyone can or will do again he won a world cup single handed.
• Messi would have to go to a Villareal and win titles with them to match Maradona’s achievements at Napoli.
• Attacking players are completely protected these days with the slightest challenge warranting a yellow. Maradona was regularly maimed by the opposition before tackles from behind were outlawed.